MacArthur Central, Brisbane
Encyclopedia
MacArthur Central is an English Renaissance
styled building located on the north-east corner of Queen Street
and Edward Street
in Brisbane
, Queensland
, Australia
. It is notable for its wartime
association with General Douglas MacArthur
, who used the building as the Allied forces' South West Pacific Area
Headquarters
from July 1942 to November 1944.
above the portico
entrance of the Queen Street façade of the building, sculptured in Sicilian marble
by Fred Gowan, representing: "Strength, Plenty, Production and Growth".
Below the statue is the Latin
motto
of the AMP Society -
— which also seems appropriate considering the use of the building by American forces during the war.
until 1988 when that organisation moved to new premises in Creek Street
. The AMP Society has subsequently demutualised, becoming a company known as AMP Limited.
It was on the eighth floor, the location of the AMP Society's Board Room that became General Douglas MacArthur's office. By military order tenants from the second to ninth floors were compulsorily evacuated for the Hiring Department of the Defence Forces.
The 10 storeyed building replaced a smaller 3 storey building also owned by the AMP Society which had been constructed in the 1890s. It also featured the "trademark" AMP Society three figure statue. After the AMP Society vacated the building, which then became known as the MacArthur Chambers, it continued to be leased for office accommodation, with small shops on the ground and basement floors.
franchise and other restaurants, a medical centre, pharmacy, newsagency, Australia's first inner-city Big W
discount department store, as well as Woolworths
and approximately 40 other specialty stores.
" from September, 1939 to August, 1945.
The entrance to both the museum and the MacArthur Chambers Hotel are on Edward Street. The Museum is open 10 to 3 Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. A notice (featured at right) about the MacArthur Museum is placed at the Edward Street entrance to the hotel and museum at the MacArthur Central building, on the days the MacArthur Museum is open to the public.
English Renaissance
The English Renaissance was a cultural and artistic movement in England dating from the late 15th and early 16th centuries to the early 17th century. It is associated with the pan-European Renaissance that is usually regarded as beginning in Italy in the late 14th century; like most of northern...
styled building located on the north-east corner of Queen Street
Queen Street, Brisbane
Queen Street in Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, Australia, is one of the city's major streets. It is the city's central road, partly covered by a pedestrian mall called the Queen Street Mall. Queen Street ends at the Victoria Bridge and is bounded by two of the Brisbane River's central reaches...
and Edward Street
Edward Street, Brisbane
Edward Street is a busy thoroughfare in the Brisbane central business district, Queensland, Australia. It is a one way street located between Albert Street and Creek Street, and runs from Upper Edward Street to Alice Street....
in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is notable for its wartime
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
association with General Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
, who used the building as the Allied forces' South West Pacific Area
South West Pacific Area
South West Pacific Area was the name given to the Allied supreme military command in the South West Pacific Theatre of World War II. It was one of four major Allied commands in the Pacific theatres of World War II, during 1942–45...
Headquarters
Headquarters
Headquarters denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the top of a corporation taking full responsibility managing all business activities...
from July 1942 to November 1944.
Features
A feature of the building (and until recently of all buildings owned by the AMP Society) is a three figure statueStatue
A statue is a sculpture in the round representing a person or persons, an animal, an idea or an event, normally full-length, as opposed to a bust, and at least close to life-size, or larger...
above the portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
entrance of the Queen Street façade of the building, sculptured in Sicilian marble
Marble sculpture
Marble sculpture is the art of creating three-dimensional forms from marble. Sculpture is among the oldest of the arts. Even before painting cave walls, early humans fashioned shapes from stone. From these beginnings, artifacts have evolved to their current complexity...
by Fred Gowan, representing: "Strength, Plenty, Production and Growth".
Below the statue is the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
of the AMP Society -
- "AMICUS CERTUS IN RE INCERTA" -- or in EnglishEnglish languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
: - "A SURE FRIEND IN UNCERTAIN TIMES"
— which also seems appropriate considering the use of the building by American forces during the war.
History
The current building was constructed between 1930 and 1934 and with the exception of the war years was the Queensland headquarters of the AMP SocietyAMP Limited
AMP Limited is an Australian financial corporation. It operates primarily in Australia and New Zealand. AMP formed in 1849 as the Australian Mutual Provident Society, a non-profit life insurance company. In 1998 it was demutualised and listed on the Australian and New Zealand stock exchanges...
until 1988 when that organisation moved to new premises in Creek Street
Creek Street, Brisbane
Creek Street is a major street in the central business district of Brisbane. Although the street is immediately within the Brisbane CBD, it has not been named accordingly, similar to that of other streets in the CBD...
. The AMP Society has subsequently demutualised, becoming a company known as AMP Limited.
It was on the eighth floor, the location of the AMP Society's Board Room that became General Douglas MacArthur's office. By military order tenants from the second to ninth floors were compulsorily evacuated for the Hiring Department of the Defence Forces.
The 10 storeyed building replaced a smaller 3 storey building also owned by the AMP Society which had been constructed in the 1890s. It also featured the "trademark" AMP Society three figure statue. After the AMP Society vacated the building, which then became known as the MacArthur Chambers, it continued to be leased for office accommodation, with small shops on the ground and basement floors.
Redevelopment
The building and sites adjacent to the building were subsequently redeveloped in the 1990s. Today the building, which is now called MacArthur Central, is part of an apartment and modern commercial shopping complex, which includes the famous Shingle InnShingle Inn
The Shingle Inn is a Brisbane restaurant and bakery franchise which commenced with the flagship store in Edward Street, Brisbane in 1936 as a Tudor inn style restaurant. It is one of the oldest continuing restaurants in the city of Brisbane...
franchise and other restaurants, a medical centre, pharmacy, newsagency, Australia's first inner-city Big W
Big W
Big W is one of the largest chain of discount department stores in Australia, with over 150 stores. It is a division of Woolworths Limited, the second largest retailer in Australia. Its main competitors are Kmart and Target, both owned by Wesfarmers....
discount department store, as well as Woolworths
Woolworths (supermarkets)
Woolworths is the largest supermarket chain in Australia, owned by Woolworths Limited.-History:Woolworths Limited was founded in 1924, with the first store opening up in Sydney's Imperial Arcade.-2008 rebranding:...
and approximately 40 other specialty stores.
Museum
The MacArthur Museum (to commemorate General MacArthur's association with Brisbane), was opened by members of the General Douglas MacArthur Brisbane Memorial Trust in 2004. Visitors are able to visit General Douglas MacArthur's office. Also on display is movie footage of the Second World War and all the front pages of "The Courier-MailThe Courier-Mail
The Courier-Mail is a daily newspaper published in Brisbane, Australia. Owned by News Limited, it is published daily from Monday to Saturday in tabloid format. Its editorial offices are located at Bowen Hills, in Brisbane's inner northern suburbs, and it is printed at Murarrie, in Brisbane's...
" from September, 1939 to August, 1945.
The entrance to both the museum and the MacArthur Chambers Hotel are on Edward Street. The Museum is open 10 to 3 Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. A notice (featured at right) about the MacArthur Museum is placed at the Edward Street entrance to the hotel and museum at the MacArthur Central building, on the days the MacArthur Museum is open to the public.